Fruit-marking machine



mmf-M@ FAHLBURG FRUIT MARKING MACHINE Filed June 5, 1919 Sheets-Shea?l l4 @j Jv ATTORNEYS WITNESS ./9 /I 5.5. 5W'

ct. 23 i923.

F. AHI-BURG FRUIT MARKING MACHINE Filed June 5, 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2silice WITNESS t nM/Q N m M P N /n 1 A y k F V.. B

/d A TTORNE YS Patented @et 23, 1923.,

lit-lll@ TTES FR Is".

LBURG, F SAN FRANCISCO, CALFORNEA, SSIGNOR T0 ELECTRIC FRUIT MARKINGC0., OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPRTION 0F CFO??` Iv iFRUT-MARKHJG MACENE.

Application led June To all whom it my concern.'

Be it known that I, FRANK Anne, a subject of the German Government, anda resident ofthe city and county of San Fran- 5 cisco and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Fruit-ll/Iarking Machine,

of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to machines for marking or branding fruit.

n object of the invention is to provide means for branding a trade-mark,tradename or other design upon the surface of fruit.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for marking fruit,in which the marking means or die is composed of a plurality ofresiliently mounted die elements, each one adapted to bear against thesurface to be marked withthe same pressure,

2@ so that fruit or other objects having irregularly curved surfaces mayreadily be marked.

Another object of the invention is to provide a marking machineincluding improved means for heating and mounting the marking dies;

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some ofwhich, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the fol 3@ lowingdescription of the preferred form of-my invention which is illustratedin the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. Itis to be understood that l do not limit myself to the showing made bythe said drawings and description,

as l may adopt variations of the preferred form within the scope of myinvention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the marking machine, portions beingbroken away to disclose the structure.

Figure 2 is a plan view, portions of the top being broken away.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of my machine,portions being broken away to disclose the structure.

Myniarking machine comprises an outer casing 2 and an inner casing 3between which is a heat insulating layer 4. The inner casing is adaptedto contain a quantity of mercury 6 and means for heating the mercury isprovided by a heating coil 7 arranged in the bottom of the casing andcon- 1919. Serial No. 301,859.

nected by conductors 8 to any suitable source of current.

Arranged on the top of the casing is an inner cover plate l1 having anaperture therein, the plate being formed with a downturned flange 12surrounding the aperture, thus providing a guideway in which theparallel die frames 13 are slidably arranged. A die element 14 issecured on the upper end of each frame, and there are as many die framesas there are characters or elements in the mark to be applied, and eachframe and its die element is separately slidable longitudinally on itsown axis within the flange 12, t-he several axes being parallel. Lateraldisplacement of each frame is prevented by forming it with grooves 15 onthe sides adapted to engage corresponding ridges 16 formed onthe'adjacent surfaces of the Bange 12.

The die frames 13 are shaped in the form of an inverted T, and on eachend of the cross bar 17 of the die frame is secured by screws 18, afloat 19 comprising a hollow casing formed conveniently of light tubing.Because of the closeness of spacing of the die frames, the cross bars 17are of dierent lengths, so that in plan the floats are in staggeredrelation in two or more rows as seen in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 1the longer cross bars are arranged a little below the shorter ones toavoid interference of the cross bars with the bottoms of the inner oats.Preferably the outer floats are somewhat larger than the inner ones toprovide increased buoyancy for the larger die frames so that each of thedies is pressed upwardlyy with a like force. 4 zontally extending flange21 formed by the overhanging edge of the outer cover plate 22, on eachside of the dies provides a stop against which the upper ends of' thedie frames impinge, and the level of the mercury and the proportion ofparts is such that the die frames are normally buoyantly retainedagainst the stops with equal pressure.

Means are provided for varying the mercury level in the casing. A closedelliptical drum 23, provided with a nipple 24 on the side adjacent oneend, is rotatably arranged on one side of the casing. The nipple has aconically formed end which is pressed to a seat in the casing wall bythe plate 25 se- A short horieol Mil

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cured to the casing by screws 2G. The axis of the nipple liesapproximately in the normal level of mercury, which tills the drum tothe same level as in the casing. Rotation olf the drum varies the amountof space therein occupied by the mercury, and hence movement of the drumabout its axis allows mercury to run therefrom into the casing 'or fromthe casing into it according to its osition, thus varying the level ofmercury in the casing and altering as may be desired the buoyancy of thetloats which normally project a small amount above the level of themercury. By tipping the drum 23 so that its long airis is verticalmercury will llow therefrom to raise the level in the casing to thehighest point thus giving the maximum buoyancy to the floats and thestrongest upward pressure to the dies.

Cork blocks 27 are spaced on each side of the dies lll, their adjacentupper edges being beveled to provide a run-way tor guiding the `fruit tobe marked over the dies.

A thermostat bulb 28 oi well known type is arranged in the mercury forthe automatic control ot the current energizing theheatin,a coil.

1e mercury is heated by the coil 7 and communicates its heat to theimmersed die trames which in turn conduct the heat to the dies carriedthereon.

To use the machine, the fruit is placed side down on the run-way betweenthe cork blocks and rolled llrmly over the hot dies, which resilientlygive way as the fruit passes over them, leaving an indelibly and evenlbranded mark in the skin ol the fruit. desired mechanical feeding means,such as that shown in the copending application Serial Number 223,651may be incorporated with my present apparatus.

lln Figure 3 ll have shown a modified form of marking machine in whichrectangular die frames 3l are arranged to slide within a copper oraluminum block 32, in which a heating coil 33 is embedded. 'lhe block 32is supported on ledges 3ft formed on the walls of the casing, and alayer 36 of heat insulating material is interposed between the block andthe casing and cover plate.

The die frames are each provided with a heavy heat insulating pad 37 onthe lower end. Pendently supported from the cover plate 22 by screws 38is a bar 39 extending across the casin below the die frames. rll`he baris provide with a number of pins al, one below and alined with each die`frame, and a coil spring Ll2 extending from the plate up past the endoit the pin to the alined pad 37 is disposed about each pin, thusresiliently supporting the. die frames upon the bar, By turning thescrews 38, the bar may be raised or lowered to vary the tension on thesprings. Lateral movement of the plate is prevented by seating the. endsof the nevncao screws 38 loosely in sockets Jformed in the bosses 43 onthe bottom of the casing. lilach of the die trames is thus resilientlyheld in its upper position against the overhanging edge of the coverplate, While the springs. are protected from excessive heat.

A thermostat bulb al is arranged in the block 32 -for the automaticcontrol of the temperature of the block. The heat from the block isconducted to the die frames and thence to the dies. rll`he operation ot'the machine is similar to that already described.

l claim:

l. lln a marking machine, a die comprising a plurality of die elementshaving parallel axes, means for mounting said elements for longitudinalmotion on said axes, means for resiliently retaining said elements inpredetermined position, stationary means contiguous with said dieelements for heating said die, and means tor permitting articles to bemarked to be rolled over said die.

2. lln a markin machine, a plurality ol2 parallel frames, a ie on eachof said trames, means for resiliently supporting said trames, and meansfor varying the resilience oit said supporting means.

3. ln a marking machine, a movable die, a iloat connected to said die,and a body oit liquid for supporting said die by the buoyancy of saidfloat.

a. ln a marking machine, a movable die, a tloat for supporting said die,a body of liquid for buoyantly supporting said lloat, and means forlimiting the upward movement of said die.

5. lln a marking machine, a body oir lid uid, and a die buoyantlysupported on said liquid.

6. ln a marking machine, a body ot liquid, a die buoyantly supported onsaid liquid, and means for varyingthe level of the q?. lln a markingmachine, a body of liquid, a die buoyantly supported on said liquid, andmeans for heating the liquid to heat the die.

8. lln a marking machine, a body of liquid, a die buoyantly supported onsaid liquid, means for heating the liquid to heat the die, and means forpermitting articles to be marked. to be rolled over said die.

l9. lln a marking machine, a die comprising a plurality ot die elements,a trame tor supporting each of said die elements. guide means in whichsaid trames are slidably arranged, floats on said frames, a body otliquid supporting said lloats, and means for heating the liquid wherebythe dies are heat ed by conduction through said frames.

l0. ln a marking machine, a casing, a top plate on said casing, a bodyof mercury in said casing, a plurality of frames buoyantly supported onsaid mercury and slidably arranged in said top plate, a die element ouUtl reo

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tarmac each of said frames, and means for heating duction through saidframes, and means for said mercury to heat said dies by conduc`permittin articles tobe marked to be rolled tion through said frames.across sai dies.

1li 1n a marking machine, a casing, a top En testimony whereof, Ihavehereunto set 15 5 plate on said casing, a body of mercury in my hand atWaterbury, Conn., this 26th said casing, a plurality of frames buoyantlyday of May, 1919. supported on said mercury and slidably arranged insaid top plate, means for limiting FRANK AHLBURG' the upward movement ofsaid frames, a die In presence of- 1G element on each of said frames,means for JOHN T. MoNzAN,

heating the mercury to heat the dies by oon- WAL/run E. MONAGAN.

